Disney to Crumble? New Survey Asks Visitors About Dead Relatives and How Poor They Are

Disney World, long hailed as “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” is facing backlash after a recent guest survey included unusually personal and, for some, unsettling questions.

Disney World’s Guest Survey Under Fire for Personal and Invasive Questions

According to The Wall Street Journal, Disney (DIS) has been surveying its visitors with inquiries that go beyond the typical feedback about park experiences. Among the most controversial questions are those asking guests how likely they are to be “receiving/managing an inheritance” or to experience the “loss of a family member or loved one” over the next five years.

Disney is surveying guests about their finances in regard to Disney vacations. They asked guests if they had loved ones that might die soon and leave them an inheritance. source:

@WSJ – @JonasJCampbell on X

Disney is surveying guests about their finances in regard to Disney vacations.

They asked guests if they had loved ones that might die soon and leave them an inheritance.

source: @WSJ pic.twitter.com/bPXXSJuYsg

— Jonas J. Campbell (@JonasJCampbell) February 14, 2025

These deeply personal questions have sparked outrage and confusion among DIS fans, leading many to question why a theme park would seek such information. With Disney World and Disneyland already under fire for rising ticket prices, some guests see this move as further proof that the company is prioritizing profit over people.

Theme park surveys are nothing new—companies frequently gather feedback on ride experiences, food quality, and overall guest satisfaction. However, DIS’s decision to ask about guests’ financial and personal hardships is an unexpected departure from the norm.

One possible explanation is that Disney is attempting to gauge guests’ future spending power. By asking about inheritance and potential financial changes, the company could be looking to understand whether its audience will have the means to afford the ever-rising costs of Disney vacations in the coming years.

If that’s the case, the optics are troubling. To many, this comes off as corporate greed—an attempt to determine just how much more DIS can charge before guests are financially tapped out.

A Growing Divide: Who Can Still Afford Disney?

For years, Disney parks have faced criticism for pricing out middle-class families. Ticket prices, hotel rates, and dining costs have surged, making it increasingly difficult for the average family to afford a DIS vacation. A single-day ticket to Disney World now ranges from $109 to $189 per person, and that’s before factoring in Genie+ costs, parking fees, and food expenses.

For many longtime Disney fans, these rising costs are a painful reminder that the parks they once loved are becoming a luxury experience rather than a family-friendly destination. Now, with surveys asking about potential inheritances, some guests feel like Disney is preying on the financial struggles of its visitors rather than working to make the parks more accessible.

Public Reaction: Tone-Deaf or Justified?

Social media has exploded with reactions from Disney fans, many of whom find the survey questions invasive and inappropriate. Guests have shared their discomfort over being asked about such deeply personal matters, with some calling it “tone-deaf” and “insensitive.”

“Imagine taking your kids to Disney World to escape reality for a few days, only to be asked how likely it is that someone in your family will die soon,” one guest tweeted. “It’s not just weird—it’s disturbing.”

Others speculate that the survey might have been poorly worded or taken out of context. Some argue that Disney could be researching demographic shifts, trying to predict the economic landscape of its customer base. However, even those willing to give DIS the benefit of the doubt agree that there are more tactful ways to conduct market research.

How Does This Make Disney Look?

Public perception of Disney has already been shifting in recent years, with many fans growing frustrated over rising costs, controversial policy changes, and what they see as a decline in guest experience. This latest survey only adds fuel to the fire, painting Disney as out-of-touch with the financial realities of its audience.

Rather than focusing on whether guests may come into an inheritance, many believe Disney should be addressing concerns over affordability, overcrowding, and overall guest satisfaction.

The backlash over this survey suggests that many DIS loyalists feel the company is moving in the wrong direction—one that prioritizes profit margins over magical experiences. While this survey may not have been intended to offend, its execution has left many questioning Disney’s priorities.

As the cost of a DIS vacation continues to soar, the company should be focusing on ways to make the parks more accessible, rather than probing into guests’ personal financial and emotional hardships.

If Disney wants to maintain its reputation as a place of wonder and escape, it may need to rethink not just its survey questions, but its overall approach to guest engagement. Otherwise, it risks alienating even more of its dedicated fanbase—one uncomfortable question at a time.